Monday, March 26, 2012

Gun "Goes Off" Again

A 5-year-old girl was in good condition early Sunday after she was shot in her ankle Saturday afternoon while jumping on a bed when a gun hidden under the mattress accidentally went off.

The girl was jumping on the bed in a home in the 6400 block of South Artesian about 12:20 p.m. when the gun discharged, according to police. She was taken to University of Chicago Comer’s Children’s Hospital, police said. She was in good condition following the treatment.

That mattress must be brought to justice. Jessie White Tumblers ought to bring on a march. This is another example why you should never cut that 'do not remove' tag on mattresses. It clearly states you should never place your unregistered handgun there when it's expected that the mattress will be used for trampoline purposes.

What were the chances that in an incident like this the child would actually be struck when the gun goes off accidentally? One in 10? One in 20?

The reason I ask is this: how many of these happen where the kid doesn't get hit, and it doesn't get reported. After all, when the kid gets hit, you've gotta go to the hospital, etc. But if the gun fires, and it just strikes a wall and scares everyone - no sense involving the authorities.

Don't keep a round in the chamber stupid... Oh wait he kept the gun under a matress. STUPID! How. Can you access that if needed? Don't get it. "Honey, wake up, stand up and get off. The bed, I heard a bump in the night!"

The gun was a stolen Smith and Wesson target pistol with a very light and short trigger pull with the safety disengaged. It was stuffed between the bed rail and the mattress of a twin bed (along the side of the mattress)which was then pushed next to another twin bed to make one big bed! The girl was jumping near the edges of the squishy mattresses when the gun went off. The only other person in the room at the time was a 1 month old who was in a baby car seat carrier seated on one of the beds it could have been worse. Forensic evidence backed up the story.

Don't keep a round in the chamber stupid... Oh wait he kept the gun under a matress. STUPID! How. Can you access that if needed? Don't get it. "Honey, wake up, stand up and get off. The bed, I heard a bump in the night!"

3/26/2012 05:56:00 PM

You're missing the point. Like the other guy said, directional force has to be applied to the trigger to fire it - and a significant amount at that. What's the weight on most guns with no safeties in DA? Usually about 12lbs. When in SA it's usually about 4. I'm not sure about revolvers but who the hell keeps one of those cocked and under their bed? I've never seen a gun fire itself even when dropped. I don't see how that's even possible.

I don't buy this for a minute.

I'd also like to know if owner has a FOID card like I, and every other lawful gun owner in IL does.